Did not become law. It stopped in the House of Representatives's Judiciary B Committee on February 3, 2026.
2026 Regular Session
House Bill 685
Missing or unidentified persons; create procedures regarding investigation of.
What it does
The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO INITIATE CERTAIN PROCEDURES UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CREDIBLE REPORT OF A MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON; TO REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSING OR UNIDENTIFIED PERSON TO BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO ENTER A REPORT OF A MISSING CHILD INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM WITHOUT DELAY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TEST THE DNA OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS USING FORENSIC GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS" AND "UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS"; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-59, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A BODY IS UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS, THE BODY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER; TO AMEND SECTION 41-61-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT UPON DISCOVERY, UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS OR ANATOMICAL MATERIAL SUSPECTED OF BEING PART OF THE HUMAN BODY SHALL BE THE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER BY OPERATION OF LAW; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF A BODY, BODY PART OR UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS SHALL BE A FELONY; TO REQUIRE THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER INVESTIGATOR IN CONCERT WITH THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ENTER INTO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM ALL UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS CASES WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS; TO AMEND SECTION 41-39-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ANY PHYSICIAN, HOSPITAL, FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER, COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER OR OTHER PERSON ACQUIRING POSSESSION OF UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS TO SUBMIT THE REMAINS TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND NOT SUBJECT THE REMAINS TO CREMATION, EMBALMING OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE TREATMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE BOARD'S POWERS AND DUTIES TO INCLUDE INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Sponsors
Who carried the bill in each chamber, and who signed on. Each name leads to the member's page.
In the House of Representatives
Sponsor
Its course
January 14 to February 3, 2026, on one scale. In the top row each mark is a day something happened; taller marks are busier days.
Each committee stop sits inside its chamber.
Every action2 actions on 2 days
In the House of RepresentativesJan 14 to Feb 3 · stopped20 days
Judiciary BJan 14 to Feb 3 · stopped20 days
Text
Each version as the Legislature printed it.
l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.
What happened
In l9n's words, one line for each step. Every action as the Legislature published it is below.
In the House of Representatives Jan 14 – Feb 3
- Jan 14Referred to the House committee on Judiciary B
- Feb 3Died in committee in the House
All 2 actions, as published
- Jan 14Referred To Judiciary BHouse of Representatives
- Feb 3Died In CommitteeHouse of Representatives